Beam, Windows 10 Game Mode tests start tomorrow on XB1 and PC

Starting tomorrow, Creators Update features coming in for testing are integrated support for Beam streaming on both platforms, Cortana updates on Xbox One, and for PC gamers, the new Game Mode and gaming settings section. With Snap Mode on the way out, it's time to see what the sacrifice will bring to the table.

Beam support is fairly self-explanatory, as Microsoft said it was on the way after acquiring the game streaming service a few months back. This offering is all about low-latency streams with under one second of delay, which Windows players can access starting tomorrow from the Game Bar (press the Windows key + G), and eventually, Xbox One owners will be able to initiate directly from the guide.

As far as that Game Mode, the company has exposed a bit more information on exactly what it is. Xbox Platform team member Kevin Gammill tells Windows Central, the focus isn't just on high performance, but consistency. Using processes already at work on Xbox One, it makes sure your PC is focused on delivering every frame on time, prioritizing the game (whether it's a UWP title from the Store or a legacy Win32 title from Steam) over other tasks. Of course, if you want to do some heavy processing work in the background and have a rig that can handle it, the mode can be disabled, and it disables itself whenever the game is minimized or in the background.

All the relevant settings for gaming will also live in a new area under the main system settings. Marked with an Xbox logo, it's where players can adjust things for the game bar, DVR and broadcasting, with Game Mode settings coming soon.

Finally, the last addition it's testing a Screen Time setting on Xbox One. While the Xbox already has support for some parental settings, these will mimic the controls already included with Windows 10.